Jayhawks Head to Waco to Battle Bears
Nov. 14, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Kansas volleyball travels to Waco, Texas, to battle Baylor Wednesday night in Big 12 Conference action. First serve at the Ferrell Center is set for 7 p.m. The Jayhawks (10-15, 3-13 Big 12) are looking to get back to their winning ways after a bye weekend while the Bears (17-12, 5-11) are currently seventh in the league standings. Live Gametracker, a recap and box score for the match can be found here.
About the Jayhawks
The Jayhawks (10-15, 3-13) are averaging 15.81 kills and 14.61 assists per game, which ranks fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Big 12. Senior outside hitter Jana Correa paces a balanced KU offense with 3.91 kills per game — good for eighth in the league — and has recorded 14 or more kills in 16 matches this season. This season, Correa became the ninth Jayhawk in school history to record 1,000 kills for her career and currently ranks seventh on the KU all-time list. Junior right side hitter Emily Brown (3.47 kpg/2.89 dpg), a threat in all six rotations, and sophomore middle blocker Savannah Noyes (3.25 kpg) round out the top KU hitters. Redshirt freshman setter Katie Martincich averages 11.80 assists per game, which ranks eighth in the league. KU’s defense features senior libero Jamie Mathewson (3.63 dpg) and five Jayhawks who average 2.19 or more digs per game. KU also gets a boost from rookie middle blocker Brittany Williams (2.36 kpg), who replaced injured Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Natalie Uhart in the starting lineup.
Scouting the Bears
Despite an eight-match losing streak that extended from Sept. 27 to Oct. 21 — which included a 3-0 loss at Kansas — the Bears have won four of their last six contests. Baylor (17-12, 5-11) is 8-5 at home this season (3-5 in Big 12 matches) with league victories over Missouri, Texas Tech and Kansas State. Baylor is led by senior outside hitter Nicole LeBlanc, who averages 3.36 kills and 3.08 digs per game. Senior middle blocker Desiree Guilliard-Young ranks fifth in the Big 12 with a .343 hitting percentage and second in blocking with 1.56 stuffs per game. Freshman setter Taylor Barnes runs the offense, averaging 11.41 assists, 1.34 kills and 2.17 digs per game, while topping the league with 0.53 aces per game. Junior libero Kristen Schramek leads the Bears defensively, ranking sixth in the conference with 4.10 digs per game. The Bears are currently seventh in the league standings.
The Kansas-Baylor Series
The Bears lead the all-time series against KU, 14-10, but the Jayhawks have won seven of the last nine meetings and are 7-1 against Baylor in Lawrence. KU head coach Ray Bechard is 9-8 against BU while Bears coach Jim Barnes is 2-3 against the Jayhawks.The Jayhawks claimed the teams’ first meeting of the season, 3-0, in Lawrence on Oct. 14.
Another Sellout…
The Kansas-Nebraska match on Wednesday, Nov. 22, in Lawrence is sold out of reserved tickets. Based on availability, general admission tickets may be available for purchase beginning at 6:30 p.m. on game day at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center ticket office for $10 each.
Crimson and Blue Bits
~Kansas hosts Border Showdown rival Missouri Saturday at 7 p.m. The Jayhawks and Tigers are currently tied at 4-4 in the 2006-07 Border Showdown standings.
~Junior Emily Brown has notched 20 or more kills on five occasions and has 13 double-doubles (kills/digs) this season. Brown recorded a rare triple-double against UMKC on Aug. 29 — 12 kills, 10 assists and 10 digs.
~On Nov. 10, Brown was tabbed ESPN the Magazine Academic Third-Team All-District for her performance on the court and in the classroom.
Match Notes in PDF Format
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